“We lost two well-liked players, but we’ve got a lot of young guys in here and the mood of the team is upbeat,” said Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. “We’re ready to keep moving forward. It’s been a real upbeat morning.”

Despite the loss of two top six forwards, Gulutzan said the Stars aren’t waving the white flag on the season.

“Absolutely not. Absolutely not,” Gulutzan said. “We see ourselves in a different light, a different style of game that will help us move forward here and get into this playoff race. There is some real optimism in that locker room.”